


The Blade of Khorne

by Eralious



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, And Dream for right now, Angst, Blood God, Dadza, Family Dynamics, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrid Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Hybrid Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Niki too, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Piglin Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Puffy is here but as a side character, and HBomb, oh and GamingWithJen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27986793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eralious/pseuds/Eralious
Summary: Phil has a long history with the ancient powers surrounding their world. He’s fought off demons and slayed dragons, but fatherhood becomes a lot harder when his past creeps back into his present.
Relationships: Cara | CaptainPuffy & Clay | Dream, Cara | CaptainPuffy & Phil Watson, Cara | CaptainPuffy & Sam | Awesamdude, Clay | Dream & Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Dave | Technoblade & Phil Watson, Jordan Maron & Phil Watson, Sam | Awesamdude & Phil Watson
Comments: 32
Kudos: 363





	1. Voices

The soft whimpering from down the hallway caused Phil to wake up. He softly sighed and got up, the pale moonlight illuminating the wooden floors.

He slowly opened Techno’s bedroom door, “Techno? What’s wrong?”

There was the sound of frantic scratching as Techno’s hooves pushed him against the wall. He looked at Phil with frightened eyes, his hands over his ears.

“Dad- Voices- Loud-“

Phil took a step forward, stopping when Techno flinched, “Who’s loud?”

“Voices- Voices loud- Screaming-“

“Voices…? Techno, there's no one here other than us.”

Techno curled up tighter, his nails digging into his head, “Head- Loud- Dad make- make stop-“

Phil paused and slowly squatted down, “What are they saying?”

There was a beat of silence.

“Blood. Death. God.”

“Blood, death, and God…” Realization hit Phil, “When did you start hearing these voices?” 

“Lake sword- Under wet.”

Phil jumped up and ran out of the room, Techno letting out a screech as the door slammed loudly closed.  _ Please let me be wrong- just this once let me be wrong- _

He threw open his closet and grabbed the dusty box sitting in the corner. He nearly blinded himself with dust as he skimmed through his mentor's old journal, finally finding the pages on that cursed god.

_ How could I be so stupid? Why didn’t I just blow up that stupid piece of metal! _

His heart stopped as he found the beginning, “God dammit Phil-“

_ The Blade of Khorne is a legendary weapon, a powerful and destructive blade. Not much is known about the blades powers, only that it is known as “End of All Things,” and... _

Phil turned the page and found the back empty and the next page torn out, “No- No, no, no, where’s the rest-“

The contents of the box were quickly thrown across the floor as Phil searched for the page. A soft snort from the doorway caused Phil to look away. Techno was standing there, blood trickling down the side of his face.

“Dad, angry?” Techno tilted his head, “Voices angry.”

“I’m- I’m looking for something. Did the voices go away?”

Techno shook his head, “Quiet. No go.”

Phil glanced at the scattered books and stood, “Lets get your head patched, okay?”

“Voices like blood. No patch.”

“Right… Okay. Let's just get you to bed then?” Phil smiled and walked over, taking Techno’s hand. He stopped as Techno’s nails dug into his hand, drawing blood.

“The voices demand Blood for the Blood God.”

Phil froze and watched as the cold look vanished from Techno’s eyes. The piglin looked down at the blood and let out a squeak, quickly dropping Phil’s hand.

“Dad hurt, me?”

“You didn’t mean to, it’s okay,” Phil smiled and led him back to his room, “Are the voices quieter now?”

Techno nodded, “Quiet. Tired…”

“That’s good. If the voices come back, you let me know, okay?” Phil gently picked the piglin up and set him down in the dull, yellow bed, “I’ll let you sleep in today, get some rest.”

“No go.”

Phil paused before smiling and sitting down on the foot of the bed, “I’ll stay right here.”

Techno yawned, “Sleep…”

“Good night, Techno.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I continue this or keep it a one shot?


	2. Spring Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha I finally got back into writing this B)

Phil watched as the first beams of sunlight broke through the trees and lit up the wall. He looked down at the sleeping Techno and let out a soft sigh.

Gently shifting himself off the bed, he kissed the top of the Piglin’s head and left the room. Starting the kettle, he went back to his room and started repacking the torn box. His hand hovered over a picture frame and he picked it up, shifting to sit on his knees. It was an old picture, one he’d much rather forget.

He set it back into the box, purposely turning the glass against the edge. He heard it crack slightly as he forced the books into the box, before tossing it into his closet.

_ You can’t dwell on the past anymore, Phil. You have a son now. _

As Phil trudged back down the hallway, he couldn’t help but feel as if eyes were watching. He shook off the feeling and found Techno staring out the kitchen window.

“You can go back to sleep, Techno. I won’t burden you too much with chores today,” Phil smiled as he set down his mug.

“I work.”

“If you want to.”

The pair shifted into comfortable silence, each working to make breakfast. Phil made the eggs while Techno made toast. They sat down at the kitchen table and ate, Techno’s eyes glued to something out the window.

Phil cleared his throat, “So, Techno. Did you actually see the sword under the water or did you just start hearing the voices?”

The Piglin looked at him and scrunched his nose, “Voices come- Lake sword I- I…”

He watched as Techno fumbled with his words, “How about this, I’ll tell you different ways and you can nod?”

“No. I know,” Techno huffed, “I play wet. Voices come quietly. Sword from voices.”

“Interesting…” Phil mumbled, leaning back, “So these voices told you of the sword?”

The Piglin nodded and got up, “Work now.”

Phil grabbed onto the collar of his shirt as Techno tried to leave, “Oh, no you don’t. You have to help me clean up breakfast.”

“Bore…” Techno groaned as Phil cackled.

The duo cleaned up, Phil laughing at Techno’s pouting. He eventually cracked, giggling alongside him. He ran down the hallway after they got changed, grabbing Phil’s sun hat and putting it on despite the noticeable size distance. Phil found him with his eyes covered and tipped the brim up, smiling at him.

“I don’t remember my hook being this low.”

Techno smiled as Phil took it, hopping up and taking his off the hook. They walked outside, Techno running ahead and chasing a bird flying overhead.

“Try not to go too far, Techno!” Phil called after him, watching as he disappeared into the bushes. 

He walked over to the side of their house, starting to work on expanding the small garden. Techno had found the mundane task of watching grass grow entertaining, so Phil decided to let him channel his excessive energy into the small plot of land. After a few minutes of silence, Phil looked up worried.

“Techno! I told you not to go too far!”

He set down the garden spade, his worry growing at the stillness of the forest. He walked around to the front of the house, looking.

“Techno! It’s not time for games, we have to work, remember?”

There was a loud crack from beyond the bushes, Phil looking to it and running. His hat flew off his head as he ran into a clearing, finding Techno staring at something. Phil sighed and walked towards him.

“Are you hurt? I heard a loud noise and-“ 

He stopped dead in his tracks and nearly threw up. Techno was staring at a dead bird, it’s wing broken and bent all out of shape. Blood stained his hands and the stone next to it.

Phil felt his own wings shift uncomfortably and he took Techno’s hand, “Let’s get you cleaned up-“

“Voices quiet. Bird sleep?”

“Uh-“ Phil looked at it again, “Birds gonna be asleep for a while. Don’t you want to go work on the garden?”

Techno quickly turned and tugged on his hand, “Garden! Garden!”

As Phil was pulled away, he couldn’t help but look between his adopted son and the dead bird. A sense of unease filled him and he wondered if this would turn out for the worse.


	3. Heading into Town

Phil washed his hands, looking up at the rising sun. He sighed and dried his hands, looking down to see Techno brushing his teeth.

“I’m going to town, go ahead and get started on the garden.”

“I want to go,” Techno mumbled, spitting out the toothpaste, “I want to see town.”

Phil smiled, “Your English is getting better, but I can’t take you. Besides, it’s a boring trip anyway.”

Techno pouted, “No fair…”

The older chuckled as he went into the living room, double checking his satchel. Techno followed him, grabbing his new sun hat off the hook.

“I should be back before noon. Make sure to stay near the house, got it?” Phil asked as he took the sun hat from the Piglin.

“Bore…”

Phil laughed and patted his head, stepping outside. He trudged down the path lined with tall birch trees, looking back to make sure he was out of view. The sound of the new leaves rustling and birds chirping filled the air. He slowly unfurled his wings from under his cloak, flinching before they could extend to their full length.

“I know, I’m sorry. I should have let you out sooner.”

He continued to walk, trying to massage the hurt part of his wing. The large scar running down the side all the way to the crook would forever haunt him. It prevented him from flying, making him feel confined.

A voice rang out, “Is that a Philza I spot?”

Phil looked up, finding a figure by a horse waving. He smiled and waved back, tucking his wings back behind him.

“Hello, Bomb! Out riding?”

“I am, I am!” HBomb smiled as Phil walked over to him, “Heading to town?”

“Yeah, I gotta get more seeds for my garden,” he said, reaching out and petting the horse, “And stop by the bookstore.”

“Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all,” Phil said, walking alongside him, “Spring came early this year, huh?”

“It did, although it’s loads better than being cooped up inside all day. I didn’t take you as a farming man, more a fisher,” HBomb said with a smile, “Your pond freeze over?”

Phil sighed, looking up at the stone walls drawing closer, “I’m afraid I’ve got more mouths to feed, sheep require more wheat than I thought.”

They both started laughing, the wooden gates opening as they drew closer. Two guards stood on either side, one waving at them. Phil smiled and waved back, looking to HBomb as he stopped in front of the gate.

“Well, this is where I leave you. I have to get this beauty back to the stable,” HBomb said, petting the horse, “Say hi to Puffy for me.”

“Alright, I’ll see you around,” Phil smiled, waving goodbye. He walked past the guards, smiling at Ponk as he walked in. Traversing the cobble streets, he stopped as a group of children ran past him.

“Niki’s it!” squealed a small boy.

“Purpled, don’t push me!” cried the other.

“Sorry!”

“Careful!” The older girl yelled after them, flashing an apologetic smile to Phil as she chased after the children. He stopped and watched them before continuing on his way.

_I wonder if Techno will ever be like that_.

Phil quickly shook that thought away. It wasn’t that he didn’t want his son to be happy, he just worried about others' perception of Techno’s differences.

“Hey Phil! Haven’t seen you in a while!”

The cheerful voice drew him out of his thoughts. He looked around confused for a minute before realizing he was standing in front of the bookstore, Puffy looking at him slightly concerned.

“Oh- Hello, Puffy. Sorry, I was just stuck in my head for a bit there,” he smiled at the sheep hybrid, “You busy?”

“Not at all! I was just making sure my duckling here had finished sweeping,” she said, a small blonde boy sticking his head out from behind her cloak. 

Phil smiled and bent down to his level, causing the boy to duck back behind her, “He’s a shy one. Quick too.”

Puffy laughed and smiled, “He’s a sneaky rascal. Introduce yourself, duckling.”

The boy was pushed forward, tightly clutching the broom in his hands. Phil paused slightly, looking over the boy. He had blonde hair that covered his emerald eyes, but Phil was focused on his skin. It was a light green tint, and Phil was unsure if it was the lighting or not. The boy looked at Puffy before looking back at him.

“...Dream…”

“I’m Phil,” he replied, holding out his hand, “Nice to meet you, Dream.”

Dream looked at it hesitantly before ducking back behind Puffy and entering the store. The older pair chuckled, Phil standing up straight and dusting himself off.

“Sorry about him, he’s a bit scared of physical contact,” Puffy said, walking into the store, Phil following her, “So what are you looking for?”

The bookstore itself was cramped, but cozy. The smell of dried ink and aged paper filled the space and there was a small nook sat by the fireplace. Books filled the spruce shelves, contrasted by the dim golden walls.

Phil ran his fingers over the spines of books as he walked in, “Some books about Piglins and some general adventure stories.”

“Adventure stories? I’m sure you have plenty of those in your head already,” Puffy chuckled, looking around the shelves, “May I ask why you want to know about Piglins? Planning an adventure into hell?”

He kept his eyes on the book spines, stopping in front of one, “Do you think children enjoy Greek mythology?”

“Hm, well I’m sure if you cut out all the bad endings they might,” she replied from across the room, “Ah, found it!”

She came back holding a book, which Phil took from her and flipped open. It was a journal, handwritten notes in an all too familiar style. He looked up at her before glancing back down.

“This is…”

“One of his last adventures.”

“How…” Phil cleared his throat, flipping it to the cover, “How did you get this?”

“You won’t like that answer, Phil. Keep it, don’t worry about charge. I know how close you and him were,” Puffy smiled, “You’ll get more of use out of it than anyone else. Not even Fit or Sam.”

“I… Thank you…” he finally sputtered out, gently placing his mentor's journal into his satchel, “I hate to be nosy but… Dream is a hybrid?”

She glanced around, presumably for the boy, “Slime.”

“Ah,” he paused, “Perhaps he would like to meet my boy then. I adopted a hostile as well, although rather forced into it.”

“I’m assuming that’s why you want the Piglin book,” Puffy said as she leaned against a shelf, “Are you sure about a Piglin though? Aren’t those… dangerous?”

“Well I’m a great adventurer, aren’t I? I can handle a bit of danger. Piglin’s are just violent pig hybrids, right?” Phil said as he flipped through a book.

Puffy crossed her arms and huffed, “There’s a difference between you and I compared to hostiles. They’re mentally different, Phil. It’s… odd. They don’t think like us, act like us. Especially Piglins.”

He closed the book with a snap, “Yes, I understand. They’re unique, meaning I can add to the research and keep him under my wing, hopefully without him killing something.”

She shook her head, “You need to be careful with him. If you want my advice on books, I recommend something specifically for children,” she pushed herself off the shelf and thumbed through the spines. She pulled a few off, shoving them into his arms, “A poem book, two bedtime stories, and an English lesson.”

“Thank you, I mean it. Oh, and Bomb says hello,” he said, placing them into his satchel. They walked to the front, Puffy humming a song as he paid. As he turned to leave, he saw Dream peeking out from behind the counter and he waved. The boy quickly ducked out of sight, causing him to quietly laugh as he exited.

He looked up to the sky, raising a hand to block the sunlight from his eyes. It was almost noon, which slightly worried him. He made his way to the greenhouse on the outskirts of town, knocking before entering.

The vaulted ceiling allowed for hanging greenery, which he slightly wondered how the woman running the shop reached them. There were counters with potted plants and he stopped to look at one. It was a massive red plant, nearly reaching the hanging pot above it.

“Sorry! Give me one moment!”

Phil looked away from the plant, smiling at the brunette who’d emerged from behind the greenery. She set down a pot and looked at him, giving him a smile.

“Hello Phil! Finally want something to color your kitchen table?”

He shook his head, “I actually just need some more things to plant. Specifically wheat and potatoes.”

Jen shook her head, turning on her heel to walk behind the counter, “One day, I’m going to put a flower on that table of yours. Mark my words, Philza.”

“I’m sure you will,” he chuckled, taking out his coin purse, “I’d invite you over for dinner to bring one, but I am not the best cook.”

She laughed as he set down the coins and took the seeds, “Excuses, excuses.”

“Maybe one day,” he smiled and said a quick goodbye, stepping out and heading home. He passed by the forge, pausing to wave at Sam before continuing his way out of town.

As he walked down the path, he pulled out the journal and flipped through it, looking at the pages intently.

_Piglins are neutral mobs, attacking only when provoked or humans/hybrids do not wear gold. They live in herds and are nomadic. They are extremely brutal towards their own species, killing opposing herds and abandoning those that cannot keep up._

_Culture between each herd seems to change slightly, a series of clicks and snorts being a majority of their language. The children seem friendly, but the adults seem wary of me. Most noticeably, the strongest (and presumably leaders) wear Hoglin skulls as a show of power. Some leaders have multiple skulls, used as shoulder decoration, necklaces, and even earrings. In my findings-_

His reading was cut off by a loud squeal, causing him to nearly break his neck looking up. Techno had spotted him, running up quickly.

“Home! Home!”

Phil smiled and put the book away, catching the Piglin as he jumped into his arms, “Sorry I took so long, I was talking to a friend for longer than I thought.”

Techno smiled, “It okay. Garden done, come see!”

His mind was quickly moved away from the journal as Techno dragged him over to the garden. The Piglin excitedly babbled and snorted, pointing out specific details that he’d done. The garden was given a stone ring, hand placed by the Piglin. Phil smiled and praised him, giving him the extra seeds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve changed the ages of some of these guys so;
> 
> Phil is in his mid to late twenties.  
> HBomb is in his mid twenties to late twenties.  
> Puffy is in her early to mid twenties.  
> Jen is in her early to late thirties.
> 
> Dream is actually three years old, but is the equivalent of a twelve year old.  
> Techno is actually two years old, but is the equivalent of a ten year old.


	4. Rainy Visitors

Phil slowly woke up to three things. The sound of birds chirping, the trees rustling, and something tugging on his hair. He kept his eyes closed, dully wondering that if he acted asleep, then it’d go away.

“Dad, Dad!”

Techno whispered, followed by poking. When Phil still didn’t rise, he snorted and climbed onto the bed. He thought about jumping up and down before flopping onto Phil’s back.

“Dad, wake up!”

He giggled as Phil groaned, rolling over and causing the Piglin to fall off the bed. Phil sat up immediately, looking down at Techno on the floor.

“Techno, are you alright?”

The Piglin looked at him and giggled, “Again! Again!”

Phil sighed and got up, shaking his head. Techno followed him around as he went through his morning tasks, babbling about his garden. Phil half listened, exhausted from pouring over his mentor's old book. It had been an interesting read, but it hadn’t explained much about how to raise a baby Piglin.

The pair sat down at the kitchen table, Techno happily kicking his legs as they ate. Phil stared out the window, sipping his coffee.

“I finished garden. I want to play end read.”

Phil looked at the Piglin, “End read?”

“Yes.”

The older just gave him a confused look, “End as in stop?”

“No! End like… Techno end Phil!” Techno huffed back, crossing his arms. Phil nearly choked on his coffee as Techno continued, “Book end quill! Dog end cat!”

“Oh- You mean _and_ -“

The Piglin nodded excitedly, “End!”

Phil smiled, “With an a, Techno. _A_ nd not _E_ nd.”

Techno furrowed his brows, “A-And?”

“Yup, you got it!” Phil leaned over and patted his head, “That English book is really working huh?”

“Book is good! I like read!” Techno smiled, standing on his chair, “You read too?”

Phil stood, Techno hopping down, “The book is good and I like to read. Don’t forget about the and to.” The pair made their way over to the sink, Phil turning on the water, “I read occasionally. I read boring stuff though, like the news.”

“News?” Techno asked, carrying the plates over to Phil. The Piglin watched him begin to scrub, rinsing water over them.

“Like uh, the latest things going on. It could be a new person or a farmers market or a parade or-“

“Par- Parade?”

Phil looked up from the sink, “Uhhh, it’s like a bunch of people get together and walk down the road with costumes and stuff. It’s for an event or fun.”

Techno looked down at the ground, processing this information, “I want to see par-ade!”

“Maybe one day. I’d have to see if there’s one coming up,” he chuckled nervously. There was in fact one in a few days, something to do with the early spring. He sighed and looked at Techno happily starting to play with the faucet, “You know, I heard there was one in a few days, if you’re interested.”

“Yes!” Techno exclaimed, splashing water everywhere, “Par-ade! Par-ade!”

“I guess it’s settled then,” Phil chuckled as he grabbed a rag, wiping away the water. Techno looked at the mess and giggled, helping him.

They finished cleaning and settled down next to the fireplace, listening to the growing noise of rain on the tin roof. Techno stared at the rain bored while Phil re-read the journal, glancing at the Piglin.

_Piglins are highly social creatures within their ruck. (Sidenote: I’ve decided to call their small herds as a ruck due to their violent nature.) Those that fall outside their ruck are typically for mating, which tends to be having a child together then pit fighting for who keeps it. A rather odd custom, but that’s one of the few times rucks work together._

_Children are naturally curious about almost everything, it’s quite odd. Something occurs between childhood and adulthood that changes them, but I’m unsure exactly how it works. (Sidenote: Collect glowstone samples for Sam, netherwart for Phil, and vines for Fit.)_

_As for the biomes they live in, they tend to enjoy-_

“Bore.”

Techno’s sudden voice from his left caused Phil to jump, slamming the book closed. He clutched his heart, Techno looking at him confused.

He rubbed his face, “Techno, bud, please don’t- Some warning, please.”

“Bore.”

“Well it’s raining, so we can’t do much,” Phil said, finally catching his breath. The Piglin snorted, falling into his lap.

“Bore.”

Phil sighed, “You can play in the rain if you get your jacket.”

“Yes!” Techno squealed, rolling off his lap and running into his room. He changed quickly, still putting on his jacket as he ran out the door.

“Wait! Don’t just- And he’s gone, okay…”

He got up, frowning at the newly forming puddles in the hallway. His eyes landed on the Piglin jumping into the mud outside and he couldn’t help but smile.

Techno saw him and waved, a Cheshire grin on his face. Phil smiled and waved back before closing the door and beginning to wipe up the water.

—

Phil had started on lunch when there was a panicked squeal. He grabbed a knife and ran towards the door, throwing it open. A tall figure was holding Techno by his jacket, the Piglin trying to fight the hand holding him.

“Dad! Dad!” Techno cried out, reaching for him. There was a pause before he was lowered to the ground and he ran to hide behind him.

“Woah, no need for the knife, Phil,” a familiar voice said, the figure walking underneath the roof to throw off the hood.

“Gods Sam, you don’t need to give me a fright every time I see you,” Phil huffed, lowering it, “Why are you all the way out here? And in this weather too.”

“Puffy told me you had a Piglin. Wanted to see for myself,” Sam said, looking at Techno, “Felt you might need some help on that front.”

Phil sighed, “Yeah, alright. Come inside and both of you leave your wet things by the door. I will not have you two track mud into my house.”

Techno looked up at Sam warily before stepping aside and letting him in.


	5. Stormy Conversations

Techno sat by the fireplace, glaring at the creeper hybrid. He stuck out his tongue as Phil came back with hot mugs, setting them down before whacking his head.

“Ow!”

“Yeah, well it’s rude to stick your tongue out,” Phil mumbled, sitting down in his armchair, “Apologize.”

“No.”

“Techno. Apologize.”

“No!” Techno yelled, crossing his arms, “I not kill. Nice enough.”

Phil just groaned as Sam laughed. The green haired boy readjusted, hiding his smile as Techno continued to glare at him.

“Do you want him? You can take him if you want,” Phil said, the older trying to hold back their laughter as Techno snorted angrily.

“Oh no, I’m sure the moment I take off these,” Sam motioned to his golden goggles, shaped to look like a crown, “I’m dead.”

“Yes,” Techno mumbled, “Dad take back.”

“I’d never give you away, Techno. Gods know what mess you’d leave behind and make me clean up.”

“Good,” the Piglin huffed, causing the older two to finally break. He watched them confused, getting up and tugging on Phil’s sleeve, “What funny?”

He shook his head as he wiped his eyes, “Nothing, Techno. Why don’t you go check on lunch?”

The Piglin huffed and left, leaving Phil and Sam alone. They sat in silence for a few seconds, Phil holding up a hand when Sam went to talk.

Phil turned to him, “Sorry, he has a nasty habit of eavesdropping. Go on.”

Sam looked at the book on the table, “That’s… Right?”

“Yeah… His Nether adventure,” Phil chuckled, “You’d just joined us when he went.”

A heavy silence fell between them, the crackle of the fireplace filling the room. Phil looked at him then at the book, gently pushing it towards him. Sam hesitantly reached out and flipped it open, scanning the pages.

“Techno’s… different from his research. I think… I think Khorne’s blade got to him.”

Sam froze, looking at him, “You still have it?”

“Well...“

“Phil, I respect you as an adventurer and mastermind on survival, but to keep the blade around-“

“It’s not as bad as you think,” Phil said quickly, “He only hears voices, which is far better than what Sparkles went through.”

Sam looked to the kitchen, listening to Techno play with the faucet, “He’s already naturally violent, Phil. This- This could drive him off the edge! Don’t you remember-“

Phil slapped his hand over Sam’s mouth, “Don’t bring  _ that  _ up. He’s a child, gullible and dependent. I have a feeling it’s too late to try and stop the corruption, but if we can teach him morals then maybe he can control it.”

His hand was pulled away, “And what? If the Council found out, do you  _ know _ how quickly they’d turn him into a weapon!”

“So they don’t find out!”

“Phil, this is madness! What if he-”

“Lunch done!” Techno called, happily walking over to them. He tilted his head slightly, confused to find them clearly angry, “All okay?”

“Everything’s fine, Techno,” Phil said, turning to smile at him, “You ready to eat?”

He nodded, warily watching Sam as Phil dragged him into the kitchen. He was promptly sat down, Phil and Sam sitting across from him. The Piglin’s eyes trailed over to the window, frowning at the rain beginning to pick back up.

“So, Techno,” Sam said slowly, “You hear voices?”

“Yes. Voices in head,” Techno said, looking at him. Phil shifted uncomfortably, glancing between them.

“Are they talking right now?”

“Yes. Voices arguing on you and Dad,” Techno stated. He looked at Phil, “Why scared?”

“I’m not scared, Techno. I’m just thinking about the uh… Parade coming up,” Phil said with a smile, poking at his food. 

Techno lit up, “Par-ade! I want to see! Voices want to see!”

The older pair exchanged a look, Phil looking away first. He looked at Techno’s excitement and then glanced around their kitchen. 

It was a fairly small room, a large window taking up most of the south wall. There was a small breakfast nook under a smaller window, where they were sitting now, and on the other wall was the cooking area. The walls were made of spruce wood paneling that continued throughout the house.

“I can take you and your Dad to the parade,” Sam’s voice snapped him out of his daze, quickly looking back to the pair, “Only if Phil’s okay with it though.”

“Please! Please, Dad!” 

“Uh- I-“ Phil looked between the two, “I- I guess that’s okay.”

“Yes! Par-ade! Par-ade!”

Sam smiled, patting Techno’s head, “I have a float with another hostile kid. You’ll like him a lot, I promise.”

Techno’s eyes widened, “Me in par-ade?”

“Only if you want to be.”

“Yes! Yes!” Techno squealed, bouncing up and down, “Thank you!”

Phil hesitated before smiling as well, looking at the rain, “I hope it doesn’t rain on the parade.”


	6. Bad Memories

Phil sighed, collapsing into a chair. He hadn’t been sleeping well, his dreams plagued with worry about the Piglin. His eyes moved to the hallway, looking at the closed door. 

Techno’s door was closest to him, followed by the bathroom and his bedroom on the other side of the hall. There was a spare room for storage directly across from the Piglin’s room. 

The house was fine for Phil, but the addition of a Piglin was definitely causing it to feel more cramped. He groaned, rubbing his thoughts away.

The door clicked open, Techno looking at him. The Piglin snorted, stepping into the hallway and trudging towards him. He dragged his yellow blanket as he walked over, rubbing his eyes.

“Sleep.”

“Yeah, I tried to. Didn’t work out too well,” Phil said with a chuckle as Techno stopped in front of him, “Are you excited for tomorrow?”

Techno nodded before climbing onto his lap, “Sleep.”

Phil looked at him confused as he laid down, curling up against his chest. The Piglin pressed his head against his heart, listening to his heartbeat as he fell asleep. The older man chuckled, slowly taking the blanket from his hooves and draping it around them. As his eyes started to close, Phil swore he heard a whisper.

—

_ The strong winds only helped to spread the embers, the smell almost causing Phil to throw up. Sam looked at him before pushing past him and running towards the town, Fit following. _

_ It took Phil a second to realize they’d left, unfurling his wings and flew into the wind. He sailed over their heads. He landed rather roughly, the pain in his leg still present.  _

_ He looked around the burning town, trying to figure out where he was. His thoughts were interrupted as a shadow fell across him, barely having enough time to dodge the blade. _

_ Pain shot through his wing as the blade cut him. He stumbled back as the blade plunged into the cobblestone streets, cracking the stones. A yell caused him to look up, Sam running towards him. _

_ “Dad!” _

Phil jolted awake to Techno shaking him. Light was streaming into the living room, the fireplace still slightly smoky. He looked around, his tired brain taking in the sudden change of scenery.

“Wake up! Par-ade today!”

“Huh?” Phil asked, rubbing his eyes, “Oh- Oh shit-“

Techno practically fell off his lap as Phil got up, running into his bedroom. He ran out as he struggled to put on clothes, tripping over himself. 

“We’re going to be late-“

“Not now, midday.”

Phil stopped and looked at the sun rising, “Oh. Why didn’t you stop me?”

“Thought you knew,” the Piglin huffed, getting up, “I go to garden.”

The front door closed behind him, leaving a flustered Phil to watch him through the window. Something murmured at his ear and caused him to turn, finding nothing. The vivid image of the town flashed in his mind, causing him to grab onto the wall.

He gagged, rushing to the bathroom before throwing up into the toilet. He leaned against the wall as he eased himself to the floor, catching his breath. 

Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back and listened to the noise. Techno’s voice was muffled by the walls, but it was apparent that he was in an argument with himself. The Piglin was clearly angry, his voice fluctuating in volume. He went silent, the front door slamming open and hooves running down the hall.

“Dad okay?”

Phil looked at him and smiled, “Yeah, I uh… I just got a bit dizzy.”

Techno hesitantly nodded, “Leg feel okay?”

“What?”

The Piglin looked at him, tilting his head sideways, “Voices said leg hurt. Is leg okay?”

Phil looked at his leg, then back to him, “I… I never hurt my leg. Maybe the voices are wrong?”

“Voices never wrong.”

“Right…” he mumbled, getting up. His legs were still wobbly, causing Techno to grab onto his arm. He shot the Piglin a smile as he stabilized, flushing the toilet before starting to wash his hands and his mouth.

“Sword cut you? Long time ago.”

Phil choked on the water in his mouth, spitting it out. He coughed a few times, Techno reaching up and patting his back.

“Dad scared. Sword bad?”

“No- No, I just… I kinda forgot about that part of that story,” he said, wiping his mouth, “Did the voices say anything else about it?”

Techno paused, looking at the ground, “Most par-ade talk. Dad…”

He looked down at the Piglin, slightly confused at the cut off. The slight drip of the faucet was the only noise as Phil watched Techno stare at the floor. The Piglin started breathing heavily, his eyes widening although being unfocused.

“Blood- Kill- Death- Blood- Burning- Sword- Death-“

Techno stumbled back, tripping and falling to the ground as he repeated the phrases. Phil was frozen in shock for a moment before rushing over, wrapping his arms around the Piglin. Tears stained his shoulder as Techno clung to him, crying loudly.

“Loud- Dad, voices loud- Angry-“

“I know, I know, just- Uh… Just- if they can hear me, then let them know that we won’t go to the parade if they continue.”

The grip on his shirt slowly began to loosen, Techno’s cries turning to sniffles. Phil sighed in relief, rocking them back and forth. 


	7. Arrival

After tears were dried, Phil got up and changed. He stared at himself in the mirror before looking away as Techno tugged on his shirt. He smiled and stepped to the side, pushing the step stool in place so Techno could brush his teeth. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, combing it.

“Par-ade today. Ex- Eggside-“ Techno furrowed his brows as he spat out the toothpaste, “Egg-sited?”

Phil patted his head, “Pretty close. Ex-cite-ed.”

“Ex-cite-ed. You ex-cite-ed?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty excited. Are you excited?” Phil asked as the Piglin hopped down. 

“Yes! Par-ade soon, hurry!”

“Alright, go ahead and put on your shoes and wait by the door.”

Techno darted off, practically running down the hall in excitement. Phil smiled and looked back at himself, running another hand through his hair. He sighed and rubbed his face, suddenly feeling exhausted as the whisper taunted at his ear. 

“Dad! Hurry!”

“Coming!”

Phil looked around the small room before forcing a smile on his face and stepping out. Techno was bouncing up and down at the door, smiling from underneath his hat. Phil chuckled and readjusted it so he could actually see properly before putting on his shoes and grabbing his hat.

“Ready?”

“Yes! Yes!” Techno exclaimed, throwing open the door and grabbing his hand. Phil stopped him from dragging him too far, letting go to close and lock the door.

They continued on their way, Techno babbling excitedly as Phil took lead. He half listened, scanning the trees as they walked. The birch trees had filled in more, making the whole forest look greener. Techno’s gasp brought him out of his thoughts, the Piglin letting go of his hand and rushing towards the stone walls. 

“Wait, Techno-“

Phil’s gaze shot to the pair of guards starting to draw their blades and he bolted forwards, his wings shooting out behind him. He quickly grabbed onto Techno’s shirt, pulling him back behind him and puffing out his wings.

“How _dare_ you- He’s a _child_!”

“We didn’t-“

“He’s done nothing to harm you and you try to _kill_ him? Are you guards or idiots!”

Techno whimpered slightly, clinging onto Phil’s leg, “Dad angry- Voices angry-“

The gates opened and Sam stepped out, taking note of the wings, “Phil, calm down.”

“They were going to kill him, Sam! I’m not going to calm down!”

Sam stopped in front of him, “I know, I understand your frustration, but can you blame them? We still kill baby zombies, despite their age.”

Phil narrowed his eyes, “Don’t compare my son to zombies. Techno isn’t that kind of hostile.”

“I know, but they couldn’t have. They’re sorry, right?”

The guards nodded frantically, avoiding Phil’s gaze. He huffed and looked down at Techno, the Piglin trembling against his leg.

“Techno, I’m sorry if I scared you,” he said as he carefully knelt down, flinching as he retracted his wings, “I was just trying to protect you.”

The Piglin nodded and sniffled, “Voices loud…”

Phil looked up at Sam before looking back, “Well the voices can shut it because I’ll take you home if they’re not careful.”

Techno sniffled as he giggled, “Voices angry but quiet.”

“That’s good,” Phil said as he picked him up, “Oh you’re getting big-“

Sam shot him a look and led them into the town, “Techno, have you ever-“

“Little Dad!” Techno said as he saw a group of kids, starting to squirm in Phil’s arms, “I want to see!”

The older pair chuckled as Phil set him down, quickly grabbing onto his hand before he could run off.

“Some ground rules, Techno. Those are called kids, okay? Don’t get too rough with them, so no shoving, pushing, or hitting. Or biting. You’re to stay within this road no matter what. No going past the buildings lining the street.”

Techno nodded, looking back to the kids, “Can I go? Can I go?”

Phil sighed and let go of his hand, “Play nice, Techno.”

He stood up as the Piglin ran off, joining the group with a grin. He waited for a second, carefully watching the group before sighing in relief as Techno ran off with them.

“You bargained with _demons_.”

“Look, it gets them to shut up.”


	8. Roof Tops

Techno ran up to the small group, grinning. There were six boys and one girl, trying to determine something. They all looked at him confused, before looking between themselves and turning back to him.

The tallest boy stepped out, adjusting his glasses, and held out a hand, “I’m Eret. We’re playing tag but we’ve got odd numbers, do you want to play?”

The Piglin nodded and looked at his hand confused, “Techno.”

“Here, give me your right hand,” Eret said, shaking his hand once Techno gave it to him, “It’s a handshake, like a greeting.”

Techno looked at their hands, fascinated, “Fun!”

Eret smiled and let go of his hand, “Okay, I’ll be ‘it’ since Techno broke the tie.”

The group nodded and a boy with brown hair took Techno’s hand. He looked at him confused before being dragged away as Eret started counting down.

“Why run?”

The boy pulled Techno and they ducked behind a crowd of people, running into an alley, “Because we have to hide first, idiot.”

“Oh,” Techno looked around as the boy started climbing the wall, “What you do?”

“You hide and try not to get tagged, now shut up and climb. We only have a few seconds until he starts looking for us.”

“Oh, okay.”

They started climbing, Techno looking down nervously. As he reached the top, he was pulled up, both of them landing on the flat roof.

Techno looked at the boy curiously. He had brown hair that was short on the sides and long on top. He was in a blue hoodie, a patch on his cheek.

“What your name?”

The boy looked at him confused before realizing, “Ohhh, yeah you don’t know, like, any of us. I’m Zak, but everyone calls me Skeppy. You’re like… Echo?”

“Techno.”

“Eh close enough.”

They went silent as footsteps filled the alleyway below, followed by scraping. Techno put Skeppy behind him as the scraping got louder before blonde hair popped up, followed by emerald eyes. They both calmed down as the boy climbed over, looking around.

“You’re cheating, Skeppy. You know you can’t be on roofs.”

Skeppy crossed his arms with a huff, “Shut up Dream. We all know you cheat every time we play.”

“That’s not true, I never cheat,” he said proudly, grabbing onto Techno’s hand with his sleeve, “You’re ‘it,’ no tag backs.”

“What?”

Skeppy groaned and held out his hand, “Touch me and then run away.”

Techno touched his hand, then Dream quickly grabbed his wrist with his sleeve, pulling them towards the next roof.

“Wait- Dream, you’re gonna get him killed!” Skeppy called out.

The green boy only cackled in response, jumping from the roof. Techno slid to a stop, his hoof hitting the ledge. He panicked as he tried not to fall, balancing himself. Skeppy ran up next to him as Dream landed on the slanted roof below. The pair watched as he slipped down the tiles before using his hands to stick himself to the stone surface.

“Bet you can’t catch me, cheater!” Dream called, laughing as he scaled the roof.

“Shut up! I totally can!” Skeppy yelled back, backing up before running and jumping off the roof, rolling to reduce the impact. He carefully climbed towards Dream, who had reached the crest and sat waiting.

“C’mon Techno! Or are you scared of a little parkour?” the boy with emerald eyes taunted.

Techno looked to the ground below, scrunching his face before backing up. He took a running start, leaping onto the roof. He squealed when his hooves couldn’t get a good hold, knocking tiles out of place as he slid. He dug his fingers into the exposed wood boards until his knuckles turned white. Dream kicked his leg over the peak of the roof, facing the boys and preparing to dive down.

“Do you need help?” Skeppy asked, stopping.

“No. I good,” Techno said as he started climbing, gradually speeding up. Dream smiled and slid down the other side, Techno gaining momentum and passing Skeppy.

Dream slowed and leapt to the next roof, the piglin following his lead and doing the same. The last boy felt unsure as he slid, jumping too early and losing his footing, scrambling to get traction.

“Help!” Skeppy cried, catching the gutter and dangling as it creaked, Dream quickly sliding down to the ledge.

“Uh-” Dream looked at him nervously, “I don’t-”

Techno shuffled down, grabbing onto the hanging boy’s arm and struggled to pull him up, “Heavy-”

Using the gutter, Skeppy pushed off and leapt to the roof, the pair nearly sliding off as it disconnected.

Dream watched them struggle, “Techno, just let go-”

“No!” Techno huffed, stumbling as the tile under his hooves crumbled. They both shut their eyes tight, waiting for a fall that didn’t happen. Techno opened his eyes first, finding slime wrapped around his torso. Dream grunted as Techno slowly backpedaled, pulling Skeppy up. They all carefully crawled up the roof and plopped down on the apex, catching their breath.

“No… no more roof running for me,” Skeppy said, causing all three to break into laughter. Yelling from below caused them to look, finding Eret and the girl standing there. They smiled sheepishly, Dream helping the two down with his elastic arms before jumping and bouncing slightly.

“You could have gotten hurt! What were you three doing up there!” The girl said, crossing her arms, “And you dragged Techno into your antics!”

Skeppy rolled his eyes, “Yeah, cause he’s cool, Niki. Look at his hooves!”

Niki shook her head, “I’m telling your Dad.”

“No- Don’t tell Dan-“ Skeppy stopped and crossed his arms, “Who is not my dad and I do not see as such.”

Eret shook his head as Dream wheezed, “Dream, Sam wants you and Techno to go to his float. Parade should be starting soon.”

Techno lit up, “Par-ade!”

“Come on!” Dream took Techno’s sleeve and dragged him away from the trio, “Sapnap and I spent so much time on it with Sam and Mom!”


	9. Familiar Faces

Phil followed Sam to the floats, looking at the colorful scenes. One was covered in flowers, an array of colors. The next was a mini jungle, with a large, fake tree in the middle. After it were a couple more biomes, followed by Sam’s float. It had a golden throne on it and a red carpet.

He looked away from the floats as they walked to Puffy, who was checking her clipboard. Next to her was someone Phil audibly groaned at, causing them all to look at him.

“Sam, why’s he got to be here?”

Fit frowned and crossed his arms, “Because I have a right to see a parade, Phil.”

“I actually asked him to come here-”

Phil stepped forwards, getting in his face, “You don’t deserve to be here, not after you left Sam and I to take care of this town after Sparkles-”

“Do you really want to have that conversation now?” Fit warned, leaning into Phil.

“Maybe I do.”

Sam pushed them apart with the help of Puffy. Phil shoved Sam off him and huffed as he crossed his arms.

“That’s enough you two.” 

“There are children here, guys. Let’s not cause a scene,” Puffy said, looking around.

Phil took a shaky breath, “I’m not staying around the coward.”

“I’m here to help with your son, Phil. Unless you want to do to him the same thing you did to Cap,” Fit said, causing Phil to glower as he stared at the floor, “Khorne is the oldest Lord of Chaos, a being of ultimate destruction. You’re going to need all the help you can get.”

“Alright history nerd, start the lecture I guess,” Phil mumbled.

“Khorne is a god of destruction. He calls on his followers to essentially commit genocide. His reign spreads death like a plague. And his sword? We know what happened the last time someone had that.”

Phil rolled his eyes, “Very insightful, Fit. You’ve told me things I already know.”

Fit looked at him before continuing, “Since the Piglin-“

“Techno.”

“...Since Techno has already been exposed to the voices, we can assume it’s been awoken. It’s only a matter of time before it goes beyond him.”

“Beyond him?” Puffy asked.

Sam nodded, “When Cap had it in the base, I was affected by it. Gave me nightmares.”

“I had… intrusive thoughts,” Fit offered. 

Phil heard a whisper and quickly turned and looked, finding nothing. He looked around, his breath quickening as the world around him quieted. His eyes focused on a shadow, starting to make out a shape.

A hand on his shoulder caused him to whip around, his head throbbing as he took in the concerned faces. Sam said something to Fit, the pair moving under his arms to lead him to a seat. Puffy placed water into his hand, guiding the straw into his mouth.

He slowly blinked away his daze, “What…?”

“You just- glazed over. Are you alright?” Sam asked, standing in front of him.

“Uh… My- My head kinda hurts…”

Fit paced behind Sam, deep in thought. Phil watched him, trying to regain his bearings. Puffy sat next to him, holding his water as she looked at Sam.

“We need to get that sword away from you two as fast as possible,” Fit finally said. Phil immediately bent over, clutching his head as voices began to scream.

—

Techno stopped suddenly, causing Dream to stretch out his arm a bit before falling back. He looked down at the blonde before running again. Dream was dragged along, laughing as he slid behind Techno.

The Piglin stopped at an intersection, looking around panickedly. The voices screamed in his ears as the quieter ones told him where Phil was. He turned to the left and ran, spotting the man and crying out.

“Dad! Dad!

Phil groggily looked at him, Puffy catching him as Techno almost ran past them. The Piglin forced his way into his lap, using Phil’s knees to prop himself up and look into his eyes.

Dream let go, looking around confused, “Mom?”

Puffy just shook her head in response, motioning to their float. He hesitated before nodding and leaving, looking back at the group.

“Dad? Dad! Up! Wake up!”

“Tech…?”

Sam hesitantly touched the Piglin’s back, “He’s okay, Techno. He just got a little shaken.”

“No! Voices loud! Screaming, angry! Scream Dad’s name!” Techno cried out, hugging onto his neck, “Wrong! Dad wrong!”

Fit glanced at Sam before stepping forward, “Techno, I’m Fit. We’re all gonna help you and your dad, okay?”

Techno looked at them panicked, “Hurry- Help! Help!”

“Shhh, shhh, Techno it’s going to be okay. Phil’s going to be okay,” Puffy said, smiling as the Piglin’s attention snapped to her.

Fit bent down to his level as Puffy helped Techno through breathing exercises, “Can you tell us why the voices are angry? Did Phil do something wrong?”

“V-Voices too loud… Can’t focus… Too many.”

Sam smiled, “That’s okay, Techno. Take your time.”

The Piglin nodded and looked down. The group watched him, Puffy rubbing his back as Fit paced again.

“C-Can’t do- Loud- Voices loud! Want- Want Dad! Want D-Dad!”

Puffy gently moved Techno into her lap as he wailed. He latched onto her, sobbing into her wooly hair as she hushed him. Phil shifted slightly, looking around confused. He tried to stand up, Sam and Fit catching him as he fell.

“Techno-“

“Phil, he’s right here,” Sam said, helping him to look at the Piglin. 

Techno looked at him, hopping up and hugging him. Phil hugged him back, slowly rubbing his back. Sam held him steady, looking up at the other two.

“If the voices don’t shut the fuck up, parade is over,” Phil mumbled.

Sam watched as Techno tightly gripped Phil’s shirt, “Yeah, and on top of that I’ll uh… Ban Techno and Phil from future ones.”

The pair relaxed slightly, Phil gathering enough mental clarity to pick up Techno. He started walking away, Techno whimpering slightly before it died down as well. Phil sighed and set Techno down, rubbing his face.

“I’m getting too old for this kinda shit.”


	10. Parade Day

Dream was happily sat on the throne, a boy named Sapnap standing next to Techno. They both had red capes and foam swords that Puffy and Sam had made. Sapnap was pouting, mumbling to himself as Puffy readjusted his ponytail. She patted his head, causing his bottom lip to stick out further.

“I was supposed to be on the fancy chair…”

“Yeah? Well it’s two versus one. Techno agreed that I should be on the chair,” Dream said with a smile, readjusting his cardboard crown. 

Techno nodded, “Dream gold. Gold pre- pree-cious?”

“Precious, Techno,” Puffy said as she moved onto him, retying the red blanket around his neck, “Like how Phil’s precious to you.”

Sapnap crossed his arms, “Are we just going to ignore that he called Dream gold?”

“Well that’s because I am gold. I have a gold crown, I’m number one in tag, and I have you two as friends,” Dream said, kicking his legs, “It seems pretty golden to me.”

“Shut up…”

Techno giggled as Puffy stepped down, leaving the trio to do whatever. Sapnap drew his fake sword, trying to twirl it as Dream watched.

“You can’t do it.”

“Yes, I can! Watch-”

Sapnap tried to twirl it around his wrist, Dream snickering as he dropped it. Techno slightly tilted his head, drawing his fake sword and testing the balance.

“I can do it, I swear-”

“No you can’t,” Dream said with a snicker, causing Sapnap to hit him with it, “Hey!”

“Haha!”

“Some knight you are…”

Techno started twirling the sword, catching the attention of both boys. They watched him intently as Techno hyper focused, the voices encouraging him on.

“How are you-”

Sapnap was cut off as the tip of the blade hit his throat, Techno blinking away his trance. He quickly lowered it, looking down and waiting for yelling.

“Sorry-”

“That was amazing! You gotta teach us how to do that!” Dream said as he hopped up, Sapnap rushing to his side as they stood in front of Techno.

“Yeah! You were all like wooosh and- and wooosh!” Sapnap added on, trying to copy Techno’s movements.

Techno looked up and grinned, “Okay! Find sword balance then-”

“Boys! Are you ready?” Sam called, peeking over the side of the float.

“Yeah!” Sapnap yelled as they got into place.

—

The cheering from the parade had died down, leaving the pair to study in silence. Phil’s back was slightly stiff from being hunched over the ancient texts, his hand cramped from translating incomplete sentences and stories. He glanced at Fit, who had a more focused look on his face as he scribbled translations. 

Phil looked up from the table as Puffy’s bell jingled, the sound of a door slamming closed following. There were multiple sets of footsteps and loud giggling, four heads peeking from over the counter. Fit looked up as well, quickly closing the books they’d been going through.

“Dad! Dad!” Techno said excitedly, causing Phil to smile and stand up straight as he rounded the corner, “Par-ade fun! Do again!”

“I’m glad, bud. Who are your friends here?” Phil asked as Techno tried to climb him.

“Oh! Sapmap and Skee-py and Dream!”

The two unfamiliar boys huffed as Dream started laughing. One had ebony, long hair, tied into a ponytail with a white band. He had on an oversized white turtleneck, the sleeves bunched up at his wrists. The shorter boy had a light blue flower painted onto his cheek and short brown hair. He was in a blue floral, button up shirt. 

“I’m Sapnap, he’s Skeppy,” the taller one said, puffing out his chest slightly, “Who are you two?”

Skeppy hit his arm, “That’s Philza, you idiot! And Fit!”

“You’re lying.”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Uh-huh!” Dream chimed in.

“I’m not lying!” Skeppy finally huffed, crossing his arms, “Ask him yourself you idiot!”

“Fine! You’re not Philza right?”

Phil grinned, “Sorry, kid. I am Philza, but I mostly go by Phil.”

Sapnap stopped for a moment before shaking his head, “You’re lying to make Skeppy feel better!”

“No, Phil!” Techno insisted, patting Phil’s head, “Dad is Phil! Phil is Dad!”

“Nuh-uh! Philza has big wings that can span to the tallest trees!”

Skeppy started jumping up and down, “Can we see your wings?”

“Oh- Well… Not in here,” Phil laughed and glanced at Fit, “Let’s step outside first.”

The children nodded and followed Phil out, Techno being set down. They stepped into the cobblestone streets, Phil looking around and measuring distance in his head before smiling at the group.

“I can’t fly right now, though.”

He hesitantly unfurled them, letting the uninjured wing go to its max wingspan. The right wing extended until he hit the injury, letting it stay slightly furled.

“Woah!” Sapnap yelled, the group running up, “That’s so cool! You’re so cool!”

“I told you!” Skeppy huffed, causing Sapnap to whack the back of his head, “Hey! I’m telling Bad!”

“No! Don’t tell Bad!”

Phil chuckled as the boys entered another argument, turning to Dream. The blonde was carefully scanning the scar, following it all the way down his wing. Phil smiled and shifted it a bit so Dream could see better, hiding his flinch. 

“Yeah, that one was a nasty fight. Nearly knocked me outta commission,” he said, glancing as the pair stopped fighting, “It was actually right here in town. See, Fit, Sam, and I were fighting off, uh… Pirates. One of them jumped down outta nowhere right when I landed, slashing my wing.”

“That’s so cool! Not the wing part though-”

“Skeppy, we’re talking to a living hero from a story book!”

Dream just furrowed his brows, looking back to the scar. He looked at the ground before looking back, frowning and shaking his head.

Techno tugged on Phil’s sleeve, “Dad! Dre, Sap, Skee-py come home! See garden!”

“I mean…” Phil looked up at Fit, who’d moved to the doorway. His gaze was on Phil’s wings, an unreadable look on his face. He looked back at the eager faces, “Okay, but you guys have to tell your parents first and I’ll have to escort you home before sundown and-”

“Can we sleepover?” Dream asked, “Sam said he’s going to be spending the night, so we can just go home with him tomorrow. Since your wing is…”

Phil hesitated before nodding, “I’m fine, Dream, I have feet. But all three of you check with your parents and Sam to see if it’s okay.”

“Okay we’ll be back in like ten minutes!” Sapnap yelled as he grabbed onto Skeppy’s hand, dragging him down the road.

“I’ll go tell Sam,” Dream said and ran off, chasing after the boys. Phil looked down at Techno, the Piglin slightly confused.

“Sleepover? Over sleep?”

Phil chuckled as he pulled in his wings, “No, they might spend the night at our house. So then you get the rest of the afternoon, tonight, and tomorrow morning with them.”

Techno’s eyes lit up, “Sleepover! Sleepover!”

Fit shook his head, letting out a sigh. Phil frowned and took Techno’s hand, leading him inside past Fit. He followed them, watching Techno being sat down in an armchair and a book shoved into his hands.

“I just told you to get away from the sword and you decide to have a sleepover with young, weak minded children.”

“I’ll post them away from the lake. They can go camping or something in the gardens and still be safe while we research,” Phil replied, opening a book.

“That’s not the issue, Phil! Techno is unstable from limited exposure and you- Well you failed to mention that the sword physically harmed you and that you’ve been exposed for years! Do you understand my concern for why I think children shouldn’t be around the lake?”

“It will be fine.”

Fit took the book from his hands and slammed it shut, “That’s exactly what Sparkles said when we warned him of the signs. When we told him to just leave it at the ring, that it was just better off to be left alone. Do you remember what happened afterwards?”

“Don’t you dare-”

“He ignored us and then you, Philza, shoved that exact same blade into his heart half a year later!”

“Shut up!”

The pair stopped and glared at each other, Phil tightly holding onto the table. He looked at Techno, the Piglin looking at them confused. Fit set the book down and took a deep breath, rubbing his face.

“Sparkles hadn't been careful. We are. There is a difference between his near constant exposure and our limited,” Phil finally stated.

“Limited stacks up, Phil. It took him half a year to go mad, it’ll take you, what, half a decade? Less?”

“I’ll be fine.”

Fit shook his head, “Fine isn’t enough.”


End file.
